Max Scherzer to miss 6-8 weeks with oblique strain

New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer will miss the next 6-8 weeks with an oblique strain, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The three-time Cy Young winner pulled himself in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals after experiencing discomfort and an MRI today revealed the severity of the injury.

This is a huge blow for the Mets rotation, which is already down another multi-time Cy Young winner in Jacob deGrom. He has been sidelined all season with a right shoulder injury and while an MRI this week revealed that he’s making progress, there is still no timetable for his return.

As for Scherzer, he had been pitching extremely well in his first season in Flushing Meadows. Through eight starts prior to the injury, he had posted a 5-1 record with a 2.54 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts for the year. The timetable of the injury puts him potentially returning after the All-Star break in July.

Fortunately for the Mets, they currently sit atop the NL East standings and have built a little bit of a cushion for themselves with a six-game lead over the second-place Phillies.